Simple chair plan?

[Peetie Wheatstraw]

I have actual need for a chair, with minimal armrests, otherwise as simple
as possible without looking 'funny'.

Inexpensive tools available:
Table Saw
Scroll saw
Drill Press
Table-mounted router (1/4" drive)
Small disc/belt sander
Various hand tools

Material:
3/4" Cherry (from Rockler): 12 bd-ft?

Skill level is moderate at best. Should be OK thru mortise/tenon.
Have never bent wood.

Anyone know of a plan that could easily be modified and doesn't look
too tacky?

TIA,
Peetie

[Swingman]

Someone posted a picture one this morning on G+ that is a child's chair
that looks like it would be fun to build, and it would lend itself for
modification, or perhaps give you some ideas.

Be aware that the comfort in a chair comes from some pretty specific
angle and measurements and that conform to the human body ... this one,
being square, would be very easy to make, even when making it a straight
up and down adult chair, but it may not be any more comfortably than a
flat bench:

http://www.rockerlaneworkshop.com/products/images/08__chair_child__square_kid__001.jpg

Simply some food for thought ...

--
www.eWoodShop.com
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
http://gplus.to/eWoodShop

[Lee Michaels]

"Swingman" wrote

>
> Be aware that the comfort in a chair comes from some pretty specific angle
> and measurements and that conform to the human body ... this one, being
> square, would be very easy to make, even when making it a straight up and
> down adult chair, but it may not be any more comfortably than a flat
> bench:
>
> http://www.rockerlaneworkshop.com/products/images/08__chair_child__square_kid__001.jpg
>
> Simply some food for thought ...
>

That is very true. Although, in my experience, where a bench is provided,
they don't want you sitting there very long. I can think of some
restaurants and summer camps growing up. Sorta like those plastic chairs at
McDonalds. Eat your food and get outa here!

I remember a couple back woods craftsman, growing up, who made chairs. They
took lots of measurements and built it to fit that person. This custom
fitted chair was only comfortable for about half the people who sat on it.
Absolute heaven for its intended body. One of these guys also made custom
pack frames. A lot of hunters around there used those to pack out their
deer.

[Morgans]

I remember a couple back woods craftsman, growing up, who made chairs. They
took lots of measurements and built it to fit that person. This custom
fitted chair was only comfortable for about half the people who sat on it.
Absolute heaven for its intended body. One of these guys also made custom
pack frames. A lot of hunters around there used those to pack out their
deer.

*************************************************************
Several years ago, a friend and I found ourselves wanting to make a set of
outdoor furniture. The seat and back had curves to fit the butt and back.
Thing is, he is about 5'4" and I am 6'0", and we kept on sculpting it and
dis/re-assembling it until it was comfortable for both of us. We called it
"the most comfortable chair in the world" chair.
Where did I put those patterns? Hummm.

-- Jim in NC

[Larry Jaques]

On Mon, 6 Feb 2012 17:16:52 -0500, "Lee Michaels"
<leemichaels*nadaspam* at comcast dot net> wrote:

>
>
>"Swingman" wrote
>>
>> Be aware that the comfort in a chair comes from some pretty specific angle
>> and measurements and that conform to the human body ... this one, being
>> square, would be very easy to make, even when making it a straight up and
>> down adult chair, but it may not be any more comfortably than a flat
>> bench:
>>
>> http://www.rockerlaneworkshop.com/products/images/08__chair_child__square_kid__001.jpg
>>
>> Simply some food for thought ...
>>
>That is very true. Although, in my experience, where a bench is provided,
>they don't want you sitting there very long. I can think of some
>restaurants and summer camps growing up. Sorta like those plastic chairs at
>McDonalds. Eat your food and get outa here!

<g> I saw the ultimate chair jig in a book once. One could adjust the
seat height and tilt, the arm height and tilt, and the back tilt. If
you build custom chairs for people, you could have them come in for
the sittings and measurements.

>I remember a couple back woods craftsman, growing up, who made chairs. They
>took lots of measurements and built it to fit that person. This custom
>fitted chair was only comfortable for about half the people who sat on it.
>Absolute heaven for its intended body. One of these guys also made custom
>pack frames. A lot of hunters around there used those to pack out their
>deer.

Heavy loads!

--
Energy and persistence alter all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

[nailsh...@aol.com]

I have seen a lot of these built. I actually sat in one, and it was
quite nice. At one time, this chair was so popular that the builder's
even had their own little blog or forum, although I couldn't find it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=jakes+chair+modifications&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Read a few of the posts on that page and you can get a feel for the
chair and its popularity.

Some guys made these for inside sitting or reading chairs.
Modifications I remember seeing were raising the chair height, the
parallel leg surfaces were thinned out with scroll work, the armrests
were a bit shorter and a bit less wide, and the splats were
straightened, thinned and had some scroll work on them. The finished
product looked like a fancy "Mission" style mixed with some of the
design elements of the 1800s English oak furniture.

Nice cushions were made for the seat, and with the carved (jigsaw/
bandsaw scrollwork) backs, no one would have recognized it as a
modified Adirondack chair.

Some of it looked pretty damn good.

Plans are free.

Robert